A local teen with medical needs walked away from Langley Memorial Hospital on Sunday afternoon, prompting a massive search for the boy.
Just past midnight on Sunday, the boy’s father called police to say his son had returned home to Fort Langley. Police went there and returned the youth to the hospital for treatment.
The boy was last seen at the corner of Fraser Highway and 222 Street shortly before 1 p.m. Lower Mainland Police Dog Services attended, however a track could not be established due to the high volume of foot traffic, said police spokesperson Cpl. Holly Marks.
Officers canvassed local businesses with a photo of the missing boy and found he had entered a downtown store in Murrayville very shortly after he had been reported missing. Extensive patrols were made in the area to no avail.
At 7:30 p.m. Fraser Valley Search and Rescue was called to help. An hour later a search plan was devised for the volunteers to begin searching the large wooded area northeast of 222 Street and Fraser Highway. Another 40 minutes later, the missing boy contacted his mother saying he was alright but refusing to give his location.
A trace of the phone call revealed the boy was calling from a payphone in Walnut Grove. Again police dogs were used, but unable to locate him.
Just past midnight, the boy returned home. Langley RCMP wanted to thank all of the people who volunteered their time to find this boy.